Friday, December 13, 2013

A Heart That Breaks the Soil by Monica Lee (Guest Post and Excerpt)

Title: A Heart
That Breaks the Soil

Author: Monica Lee

Published:September
2013

Word Count:95,000

Genre:Contemporary
Fiction

Synopsis:

Mandy held on to hope that her husband and her situation
would change as she tried to honour her commitment despite all signs pointing
to this being an unworkable marriage.A
Heart That Breaks the Soil takes you across the vast expanses of Africa and
into the insecure realm of the human psyche.

This is the story of how one woman struggled to find her way in the search for
that one coveted destination: a happy life.It is Mandy’s story but it will become yours as well as you enter her
world of trials and deep sadness, mixed in with humour, friendship and love.

Mandy could hear Winston in the background saying good- bye
to his relatives. He then turned to Mandy. “Are you coming or would you like to
stay behind?” he asked in a very pleasant voice. The relatives around him burst
into laughter at hearing him joke so lightly. Mandy hastily fell into step and
together they walked back to the car, and she was the only one who knew he
wasn’t joking.

Mandy’s sisters said she looked stunning that afternoon at the registration
office. She wore a lilac skirt with a well-fitting silk band, which enhanced
her slender waist; the skirt fell elegantly to the floor. A snow-white bodice
to accent the lilac skirt showed off her full bust. Her hat was a deeper purple
with white and lilac ribbons that gave her an enchanting look.

Driving back in silence after tying the knot was something you don’t see in
movies because movies are a fairy tale fantasy; this was real. Mandy could tell
by his breathing that he was still very tense. When they got home, he jumped
out of the car before it ground to a halt and rushed into the house. Just as he
was throw- ing the wedding ring into the kitchen bin, Mandy walked in.

Was that where their symbol of marriage would lie? Looking at the ring lying on
top of the rubbish, she reached to pick it up but a second thought overrode her
instinct to retrieve it.

Are women in Africa tolerated or loved? by Monica Lee

Tradition plays a big role
in African society and gender inequality is still prevalent. When I say
tradition I think this needs to be qualified somewhat. Two or three hundred
years ago men and women had well defined roles but lived in a village setting.
The high standing of the man was accompanied by responsibilities and he was
held accountable for his actions to the wider tribe. Whilst I do not wish to
return to this kind of system it was one, which had developed over generations
and was in harmony with the circumstances under which they lived. Nowadays
African men in my opinion tend to take the parts of traditional culture they
want whilst embracing western values they find appealing. Women
are expected to serve and any show of weariness in this area can spell trouble
in a marriage.

When a woman marries a man the custom
is that she marries into his family. This means she is expected to look after
her parents in law and other dependents from her husband’s family. The
husband’s family has a considerable say in how any children from the marriage
are brought up and will even take over possession of the man’s belongings in
the unfortunate event of his death. I suppose this can contribute to a feeling
of not being loved and being relegated. A man has to show he is in charge to
satisfy his relatives. This can result in the marriage becoming a power
struggle where the man is fearful of losing his status. This can be
particularly pronounced in cases where the woman is educated or has access to
her own funds or a career.Some women
still have limited access to productive resources and employment. These are
some of the reasons that contribute to unhappy marriages.Especially when a woman depends solely on her
spouse and do not have the means to earn a living.

In my opinion the role of
a woman in a marriage in Africa remains the same regardless of the global
outlook. Men are brought up traditionally to think household chores and
bringing up children is a woman’s job. Their role is to earn money for the
family and make decisions. Poverty, unemployment are some other reasons for
unhappiness in marriages. Domestic violence is dealt with in unrealistic ways
when reported. Women that suffer the most are women in the grass root level.

How can we work toward on improving
things? Women need to stand together in the fight of women inequality and
violence against women. Men need to be educated about paternal care and the
sharing of responsibilities in marriages. As long as abusive husbands are
condoned in society the fight for respect and dignity amongst women is a lost
battle.

A heart that breaks the soil looks at
these problems in a different light. Mandy is not aware of her own situation
because others around her are treated in the same way. Her journey based on
true life situations takes you into the inner psychological isolation of women
living in abusive marriages.

Often you read about these cases and
not much is done to address the issue.

The
author was born in Zambia. She spent years in England and Sweden as a young
woman. For the last 20 year she has taught in an international school in
Africa. Monica enjoys writing, cooking and reading. A Heart That Breaks the
Soil - is her first contemporary fiction novel. She now lives and works in Asia
with her husband and children. Monica is now writing her second book.